- Lewis Richardson lost to Mexican boxer Marco Verde in the semi-finals
- This loss means the Colchester boxer departs Paris with a bronze medal
- Richardson is the sole member of the GB Boxing team to secure a medal in Paris
British boxer Lewis Richardson secured an Olympic bronze medal after experiencing a split decision loss in his Paris semi-final.
In the men’s 71kg semi-finals, Richardson faced off against Mexican boxer Marco Verde.
Though Richardson had already guaranteed a bronze medal, he aimed to achieve a silver by advancing to the Olympic final.
Verde took the first round, but Richardson responded well in the second, keeping the bout competitive.
After a closely fought third round, the decision went to the judges, who awarded Verde a 3-2 split verdict, allowing him to progress to the final.
Lewis Richardson, left, was beaten in the men’s 71kg semi-finals to miss out on a gold medal fight
The British boxer believed he had done enough to win but lost via a split decision verdict
Richardson endured disappointment in the ring but will leave the Games with a bronze medal
‘It’s devastating, it’s raw. Of course, I’m disappointed to miss out on the final and the chance to fight for gold on Friday night,’ Richardson shared with the BBC.
‘Initially, I felt disappointment, but I hope to reflect back and feel proud of my achievements since I’ve made history for my hometown, Colchester.
‘I am the only British boxer to win a medal in these Games, and I hope that in the future, I can look back with pride and joy.
‘I’ll need to review the fight, but it was close, ending in a 3-2 split decision.
‘Two judges scored in my favor, while three went against me. Every round was competitive and close, which is the nature of amateur boxing. Sometimes it’s just a toss-up, and unfortunately, this time it didn’t work out for me.’
